The X-men factor

DarklingMagick · Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 668 Location: USA - NY

This has come up several times in other threads. I can think of no other term for it but the X-Men factor.

It's when an RP focuses on a race being hated or persecuted for beng different whether it's magical beings vs. Mud bloods and muggles, werewolves vs. Vampires, vampires vs. Dhampirs, or shrimp vs. Crawfish.

It's become very popular for some race to be hunted, persecutedor even enslaved and some RPers have come to expect this racism allegory in every RP they take part in. Personally I've found the whole thing over done since the mid-1990s when X-men were really popular and everyone was trying to imitate them, even the third season of Disney's Gargoyles, which kind of bored me.

I've even noticed some RPers can't fathom a setting without this factor. They'll actually ask "Then who is the enemy?" Sometimes an antagonist doesn't need to be an entire race or an us vs. them. Sometimes it can be a jealous lover, a greedy sorcerer wanting more power, a political rival, a rogue gang of criminals or a great many other things.

My question is how do you feel about the X-men factor? Do you like it? Is it still fresh for you? Are you bored with it too? Do you have methods of spicing it up somehow? Are there shades of grey or is it the Wolverine movie all over again? Am I being too hard on it?

IshikaruTanaka · Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 391 Location: Japan

Isn't that what the Von Helsing side of Dracula is all about? Saving the humans, "us", from the blood thirsty "them", the vampires? Aren't most vampire stories about vampires versus "food", the humans? Don't many vampires refer to humans in condescending terms, calling them sheep for the slaughter, deluded simpletons, and so on?
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DarklingMagick · Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 668 Location: USA - NY

Guest_xXBitebackXx · Joined: 12 Feb 2012 Posts: 95 Location: USA

Pretty sure I already posted my feelings on this, however...

If it's done well, in my opinion, it's still fresh.
It also depends what world you are in.
Say I make a universe. I don't know, a forest. And in it wolves and vampires get on well because it's my universe and I say so. (Before you mention, I'm very aware that Dracula was not only able to transform into a wolf, but was very fond of them as well.I'm using a underworld/true blood/what have you reference)
If someone came into my world and said "All wolves are out to get me because I am a vampire"
Then i'd tell them in this universe, biggotry doesn't apply.
If it's another persons room/universe, and they say biggotry applies, then it applies. I can always just say i'm an exception, it's not a big deal. *Shrugs* Just my opinion.

XxMissSnowyxX · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 2235 Location: Antarctica

Personally, I think it's like waking up and looking in the cupboard and seeing can upon can of the same thing @.@

It's good the first few times, but after that it's like, "Enough Already"

Yes, I get the fact that you only have so many ideas that can be brainstormed before you have to start recycling them. I think a lot of people use it because of a few different factors.

1. Hollywood has already set the back story

2. Quick and easy to set up

3. It tugs at the want of power / weakness If you are the oppressor or the oppressed.

I don't think you are being harsh at all, just bringing up an interesting point.
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